Work guiding means for sewing machines



Oct. 20, 1931. R. J. sAlLER WORK GUIDING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Feb. 28, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l Imam/nio@ Hudo JSal'lel' Oct. 20, 1931. R. J. sAlLER 1,828,722

WORK GUIDING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES Fned Feb. 2s, 1929 2 sheets-sheet 2.

.Paten-ted Oct. 20, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT `orrlcl.

BDOLPH J. SAILEB, F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO- THE SINGER MANU- FACTURING COMPANY, 0F ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY GUIDING MEANS FOR SEWING MACHINES Application mea February as, 192s. seriai No. 343,533.

This invention relates to improvements in i work-guiding attachments for sewing machines and has for its primary object toprovide means for facilitatingthe positioning of the work preparatory to commencing a stitching operation.

In its preferred embodiment, the present invention comprises a tape-guide positioned and is provided lengthwise thereof with a threading slit permitting ready introduction of a tape into its guide. Preferably, the tape-gulde is made in sections, of which one is disposed substantially parallel with a line of seam formation and within the folding scroll of the hemmer, the tape being deliv' ered to said section by another section disposed substantially transverse thereto. Suitable means is provided for imposin a tengu sion upon an elastic tape directed y said tape-guide.

Considerable diiculty has heretofore been experienced in positioning underv a sewing machine presser-foot the beginning end of work comprising a body material embracing a tensioned elastic tape, whereby the stitching operation may be started and continued with the tape under the requisite tension. In order to overcome this diiiiculty, the present invention comprehendsthe employment of a sewing machine presser-foot havingrelatively yielding work-engaging members of which one is spuug-pressed to engage the tensioned tape and nip it against the machine throatplate orV feed-dog when the other presserfoot members are raised in the usual manner for introduction thereunder of the body material. Theta e being under its regular tension as itis pulled through its guide preparatory to nipping the end of the tape by the presser-foot member and the delivering section of the tape-guide being disposed within the folding scroll of the hemmer, it is apparent that the body material may be readily manipulated by the operator preparatory to commencing the stitching operation and that the stitching may be begun and continuedY with a controlled tension of the tape.

In the accompanying'drawings, Fig. 1 is` a front end elevation of a sewing machine containing the present improvement, showing a short length of tape and also a section of the body material to be stitched. Fi 2 is a sectional view substantially on the Fine 2--2 of Fig. 3, with the presser-foot raised' and the body material introduced thereunder shown 1n section. Fig. 3 is a front side elevation of a portion of the sewing machine having the attached work-guides. Fig. 4 1s a top-pan of a portion of the sewing ma- .chine cloth-plate and attached guide, showing also a top-plan of the presser-foot. Fig. 5 represents in perspective the component parts of the lpresser-foot in detached relationship. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the tape-guide.

Referring to the drawings, a sewing ma,

chaine to which the present improved workide has been attached comprises a clothplate l, suitably supported by a bed-p1ate 2 and having a throat-plate 3. Overhanging the cloth-plate is a bracket-arm terminating in a head 4 in which .is journaled for vertically reclprocatory movements a needle-bar 5 carrying, 1n the present instance, two spaced needles 6 and 7 disposed in a line inclined to the line of seam formation. Cooperating with the needles inthe formation of doublechain stitches are thread-carrying loopers 8 and 9 disposed below the throat-plate 3 and actuated to move crosswise of the line of seam formation in any suitable manner.

Projected through the throat-plate 3 isa work-advancing feed-dog 10 having actuating mechanism (not shown) which may be of any usual lower four-motion type of feeding mechanism. Opposed to the feed-dog 10 is a presser-foot having its shank 11 suitably secured to the lower end of a presser-bar 12 vertically movable vin the head 4 in the usual manner.

The presser-foot shank 11 rises from a supporting block 13 provided in its under side heel 15 of a` presser-foot member 16 pivotapertures, -as 22 and 23, so locatedthat the reduced heel of said presser-foot 'member is disposed entirely between the-seams formed 15 by the spaced needles 6 and 7. Disposed at opposite sides of the heel 15 of the presser-foot member 16 and underlying the block 13, are presser-foot sections 24 and 25, each provided with spaced up- L 29 standing guide-pins, as 26 and 27 slidingl'y disposed in substantially vertical apertures,

as 28, provided in the block 13at opposite sides of the presser-foot shank 11. Adjustabl secured upon the protruding end of v eac of the guide-pins 27 is a collar 29 which by engaging the upper surface of the block4 13 limits the downward movement of the presser-foot sections 24, 25 relatively to said lock. Engaging the upper sides ofthe ,30 presser-foot sections 24, 25 are coil springs, *as 30, seated in suitable sockets, as 31, provided in the presser-foot block 13.' It is ap.-

parent from the foregoing description that the presser-foot sections 24 and 25 may yield bodily to dierent thicknesses of work independentiy of each other andvwith respect to the presser-foot member 16, in the properlyy set height of lthe presser-bar 12. It is like- Wise apparent that the presser-foot vmember l 16 may perform tilting movements to accommodate uneven portions of work and also that the heel 15 of said member will be yieldingly pressed downwardly by the spring 19 when the presser-bar 12 is raised. Fer insertion ,45 and removal of work, the presser-bar-12 may be raised in any usual manner, as by means of a hand lifter-lever 32 or by means of suitable treadle-connectons. (Not shown.)

Extending upwardly from the rearward ,50 side of the bed-plate 2 is a bracket 33 in v which is journaled the shaft 34 of a pull-feed wheel 35 which may be operated by any suitable actuatinul connections. Yieldingly opposed to said lfeed-wheel 35 is a presser-wheel 36 at the lower end of an. auxiliary presserbar 37 depressed by a spring 38. The auxiliary bar 37 is vertically movable in bearings provided in a bracket 39 extending rearwardly from the head 4 and may be raised .100 independently of the main presser-bar 12 by means of a lifter-lever 40 fulcrumed upon the bracket 39.

The work-guiding attachment which is disposed in advance ofthe stitch-forming mechanism comprises means for directing a ten- Laasea sioned elastic-tape into a garment hem-fold-V portion 46 is extended laterally to provide a `work-supporting apron 47, the free end of which is preferably sustained by a'bracket 48 :secured upon the supporting plate 41 by a thumb-screw 49 for adjustment crosswise of the line ofseam formation.

. Underlying the apron 47 are tape-guide sections 50 and 51 provided upon'a tape-guide carrier 52 so as to successively direct a tape in substantially transverse directions. Projecting from the carrier 52is a' slide-bar l53 disposed in a suitable guideway provided by spaced guide-blocks 54 upon the supporting plate 41, said slide-bar being shiftable in its guideway in a line substantially parallel with the line .of seam formation. The inward movement of the slide-bar is limited by a stop-screw 55, upon the under side of the slide-bar 53 and engageable with the depending portion of the supporting-plate 41. The slide-bar 53 is preferably latched inthe operativel position of the tape-guide and to this end a spring 56 is secured by screws 57 upon the guide-blocks 54 to overlie the slide-bar 53. The free end of the spring is provided with a knub 58 adapted to enter a suitable recess formed in the upper side of the slide-bar 53.

The tape-guide section 50 comprises a lattened tube disposed substantially crosswise of the line of seam formation, the tape-receiving end 60 being inclined to the direction ofpassage of a tape through said section. At its rear side, the tube section 50 has a threading slit 61 extending throughout the length of the tubel to provide for -introduction of the tape laterally into said section. Depending from the carrier 52, in front of the guide-section 50 is a finger-piece 62 for conveniently shiftin said carrier in its guideway.

he delivery end 63 of (he tape-guide section 50 is disposed adjacent and elow the' tape-receiving end 64 of the tape-guide section 51, which is positioned within the scroll portion of the hemmer in the direction of the line'of seam formation. The tape-guide section 51 is also provided with a threading slit 65 extending throughout the length of the side thereof opposite to the side from which the tape is delivered to said section 51. Disposed in a plane between the delivery end 63 of one guide-section and the receiving end 64 'of the other is an inclined guide-edge 66 "nssavaa said tape as it is delivered tothe ide-section 51. The jacent the receiving end 64 in an upstandin lip 66. v

uitably secured upon the depending portion of the supporting plate 41 is a Hat tension-plate 67 and an oppositely directed bent, v

uidein 68 beneath which the tape is led. xten 'ng from said plate 41, throu h a suitable aperture (not shown) in the 4p ate 67 is a tension-post 69 carrying an adjusting` nut 70, between which and the tension-plate 67 is disposed a coil spring^71, whereby the tension exerted by the plate 67 upon the tape ma be regulated.

o prepare for the stitching operation, an elastic ta T is directed under the guidepin 68 an tension-plate 67 and upwardly into he tape-guide section 50 the tape-guide having been first retracted from its operative position by pulling u oii the finger piece 62 to permit threading o the tape laterally into said section 50. The tape T is then led around the guide-edge 66 and laterally into the tape-guide section 51, with the end of the tape slightly protruding beyond the delivery end of the section 51. The tape-guide may now be returned to its o erative position and the tape drawn throug the guide sections and inserted under tli'e'yieldingly depressed heel 15 of the presser-foot member 16 in the raised position of the presser-bar, said heel nipping the end of the tape against the throatl plate or feed-do The depressio of the heel 15 of the presserfoot by the spring 19 raises the toe 21 above the tensioned tape, whereby to provide clearance for the body material M which may7 now be readily inserted into the hemmer in the usual manner and under the presser-foot,

with the hem-fold embracing the tape. When the presser-foot is lowered upon the work, the sections 24 and 25 of the presser-foot engage the work adjacent ythe lon 'tudinal edges ofthe t-ape. In the present instance, the needles are spaced to penetrate the work ad acent the tape. The pull-feed mechanism re erred to carries away the stitched work and thereby prevents bunching of the work back of the presser-foot'under the action of the tensioned tape. Y y

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what I claim herein is 1. The combination with the stitch-forming mechanism of a sewing machine, of an edge-folder, a tape-guide extending within said edge-folder to direct a tape within a marginal fold formed in a body material by said edgefolder, and a sliding support for said tape-guide extending in a direction substantially parallel with the line of seam formation permitting retraction of the tape-guide from i' he edge-folder.

2. The combination with the stitch-formguide-edge 66 terminates atl-- ingA mechanism of a sewing. macline, o'f an edge-folder, a tape- 'de extending within said edge-folder to ect a tape within the marginal fold formed in abody material by said edge-folder, and a slidable tape-guide support extending in a direction substantially parallel with the line of seam formation permitting ready retraction of the tape-guideJ from said edge-folder said tape-guide havmlr one side open throughout the len h thereo toermit threading of the tape laterally into sai tape-guide.

3. Ina sewin machine having stitch-forming and worke'eding mechanisms, substantially horizontally disposed tape-guide sections successively acting to direct a tape in substantially transverse directions in advance of said stitch-forming mechanism, each of said sections being open at one side to permit of -threading 'the tape laterally thereinto and one of said sections extending in substantially the direction of feed of the tape ast said stitch-forming mechanism, an edgeolder-for folding the margin of a body material about the tape, a carrier for said tape-guide sections, and supportin means for said carrier providin for with rawing the tape-guide sections rom operative position in the general direction of one of said sections.

4. In a sewing machine having stitch-forming and work-feeding mechanisms, a lurality of substantially horizontally disposed through said tape-guide, and a presser-foot movable toward and from said work-support having spaced relatively-yielding work-engaging sections, said presser-foot including a pivotally supported member disposed between said relatively yielding sections to engage the tape, and means for tilting the heelportion of said presser-foot member toward the work-support in the position of the presser-foot retracted from said work-support.

6. In a sewing machine having stitch-forming mechanism including a pair of needles s aced crosswise of theline of seam formation, a work-su port, work-feeding mechanism, a tape-gui e disposed in advance of said stitch-forming mechanism to direct the ta e between the needles, means rearward of the needles for holding the tape against movement in a direction opposite to the directionof seam formation, a presser-foot bodily movable toward and from said work-support including a pivotally supported member hav- 6 ing its work-engaging heel disposed entirely between the seam lines rearwardly of said needles, and yielding means for tilting the toe portion of said presser-foot member in front of the needles about the pivotal axis lo of said member and in a direction away from the work-support in the raised position of the presser-foot.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. y

RUDOLPH J. SAILER. 

